


curiosity killed the cat (but satisfaction brought it back)

by xinteng



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Attempt at Humor, Fluff, M/M, aka what they call an, me pretending that i'm funny, tag yourself i'm luhan
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-19
Updated: 2019-09-19
Packaged: 2020-10-21 17:17:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,196
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20697176
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xinteng/pseuds/xinteng
Summary: Lu Han hates his cat. Sort of. Not really.





	curiosity killed the cat (but satisfaction brought it back)

**Author's Note:**

> when will i stop writing fics based on [things i find on twitter](https://twitter.com/staryxz/status/1174571496112623616?s=20). when.
> 
> anyways,,, i hope you like it

To be perfectly honest, it wasn’t his fault.

Fine, perhaps if he had double checked before leaving for work that all escape routes were inaccessible to curious cats, this whole mess could have been avoided, and _fine_, maybe if he hadn’t adopted the (meanest, most awful) cat in existence, perhaps Zhu wouldn’t have left him with an overturned litter box and an open window, fluttering curtains and all.

Lu Han rolls his eyes and drops his backpack on the (severely scratched) couch, shutting the window while trying to think of all the places Zhu could have gone.

It wasn’t the first time it had happened—Zhu _hated_ Lu Han, he was convinced—and he liked to treat Lu Han’s apartment like a prison, waiting until Lu Han left for work to spring his breakout. Lu Han swore that Zhu spent nights maliciously staring at his sleeping figure, thinking of his next brilliant escape plan, but so far the camera set up in the corner of his room had yet to catch Zhu in his evil schemes.

It was just a matter of time, Lu Han was sure.

A knock on his door startles Lu Han out of his thoughts. Retracing the steps he had taken across the living room just a few minutes ago, he frowns. He’s not expecting anyone, and he sure as hell doesn’t think the old grandma down the hall would be knocking on his door this late at night.

Peering cautiously through the peephole—Lu Han’s watched enough true crime shows, he’s not _stupid_—he blinks several times before his lips downturn into a frown. He’d recognize that evil look anywhere.

Zhu.

He stares back through the peephole challengingly as if Zhu can see him too, before the knock sounds again and Lu Han jumps back, startled.

He hurriedly unlocks the door, prepared to face his greatest enemy.

The carefully prepared speech never slips past his mouth however, as he stares at his cat, then at the slender hands wrapped carefully around him, leading up to toned arms and a pale neck and _god_, are those dimples?

Lu Han must be dreaming.

“—I found your cat.” Belatedly, Lu Han realizes that the other man is speaking and with increasing horror, he watches as the distance between him and his nightmare come to life decrease as the other man’s hands move closer to him.

Lu Han holds his breath and prays Zhu doesn’t try to scratch his eyes out—or something equally embarrassing—as he gingerly picks him up from the other man’s arms. He expects a hiss, at least, so it’s surprising when Zhu doesn’t make any sound at all during the transfer.

“Thank you so much,” he finally says, once he has put Zhu down and stepped outside into the hallway, hurriedly shutting the door behind him so that there was no chance of an escape 2.0.

Now that the main source of his worry has disappeared, Lu Han takes a closer look at the man who had brought Zhu back to him, trying hard not to stare too much at the deep dimples that appear whenever the other man so much as presses his lips together. He’s young, probably the same age as himself, and nearly just as tall.

“No problem,” he laughs, and Lu Han smiles despite himself—there’s something about his laugh, a little squeaky at the edges, that is really cute.

“I’m Lu Han,” he offers, sticking out his hand.

“Yixing. Zhang Yixing.” Yixing points up at the ceiling above them. “I live right above you—I saw your cat climbing around on my balcony this morning so he’s been with me all day. I dropped by earlier but I don’t think you were home.”

Lu Han groans. “I’m so sorry, I honestly don’t even _want_ to know how Zhu got up to your balcony from mine—I was in a rush this morning and forgot to check that all my windows were locked. I really hope that he wasn’t too much trouble—he’s kind of evil, to tell the truth.”

“Really?” Yixing tilts his head, and _really_, Lu Han should _not_ find that as adorable as he does, “he was really sweet with me, he even begged for food and curled up on my lap when I was working.”

Of course. Trust his stupid cat to only hate him. He smiles at Yixing instead.

“Well you’re going to have to tell me your secrets, because I swear to god, that cat makes it his life’s mission to make _my_ life miserable.”

“I’d be happy to share my secrets,” and Lu Han feels himself flush because it sounds like Yixing, his cute new neighbor who brought back his miserable excuse for a cat, is _flirting_ with him, “it’d have to be another time though, when I’m not on call.”

“You’re a doctor?” Lu Han blurts, surprised. Yixing looks way too young to be a _doctor_.

Yixing nods, still smiling. “I’m glad I was off today though, otherwise your poor cat would have been stuck on my balcony for ages.”

Lu Han waves a hand dismissively at that. “Maybe it would have taught him a lesson.”

That gets another chuckle out of Yixing.

Lu Han yawns. It’s late, and it’s been a long day—he’s beat. “Sorry,” he exclaims, covering his mouth, slightly embarrassed.

“No, no, it’s my fault, I’ve kept you too long. I was really just going to drop off your cat and introduce myself,” Yixing apologizes. “Maybe I’ll see you around?” he’s already turning around, and Lu Han grabs his wrist instinctively, stopping him from moving any further.

He lets go immediately, because _what on earth are you thinking, Lu Han?_

“Sorry,” he apologizes again, truly embarrassed this time. “I just wanted to say thank you.”

Yixing still looks slightly surprised when Lu Han dares to look up again, but his expression softens into a smile that crinkles the corners of his eyes and makes Lu Han stare. “No problem, really. Honestly, I hope your cat visits me again, I enjoyed his company.”

“That makes one of us,” Lu Han replies.

Lu Han really doesn’t think he’s all that funny, but with the number of times Yixing has laughed at his lame quips in the last few minutes, he’s starting to believe he could pursue a career in stand-up comedy.

“Anyways, I’m going to head back up,” Yixing says, gesturing upwards vaguely in the direction of his apartment.

“Okay,” and Lu Han _knows_ his smile is too cheesy but he doesn’t even care anymore, “thank you again.”

He watches until Yixing reaches the door leading to the staircase, smiling again when he turns around to give him a little wave and a softly called _goodnight _before turning around and opening up the door to his own apartment.

He finds Zhu on the other side, staring at him as if to say _you should be grateful for me_.

He scoffs and walks past him, but only so Zhu doesn’t get the satisfaction of seeing the smile that spreads across his face at the thought of seeing Yixing again.

Perhaps Zhu isn’t so bad after all.

**Author's Note:**

> :)
> 
> this is unedited!! sorry for any mistakes :( i’ll come back to fix them tomorrow 
> 
> zhu means "pig" in mandarin btw and lu han really did have a cat named [zhu](https://66.media.tumblr.com/cb382af36d256de0578a83f36d902770/tumblr_inline_o897e1JDuL1rans4d_1280.jpg), though sadly he passed away a few years ago. 
> 
> also i hate how long the title of this is but like. it's fitting so i suppose that's more important... anyways.
> 
> find me on:  
[twitter](https://twitter.com/staryxz)  
[tumblr](https://dimpledliar.tumblr.com)  
[curious cat](https://curiouscat.me/yixingzhang)


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